
Audio By Carbonatix
Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian club, Al Nassr, are banned from registering new players until they settle a debt with Leicester City, FIFA said on Thursday.
Al Nassr were ordered to pay Leicester €460,000 ($513,000) plus annual interest of 5% in an October 2021 ruling by a FIFA-appointed judge at its players' status committee.
Leicester filed the complaint in April 2021 because of unpaid additional clauses due from the €18m ($20m) sale of Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa in 2018.
Al Nassr -- which was taken under majority ownership last month by the $700 billion sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund -- can still sign new players though not register them to play.
"The club Al Nassr is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts," FIFA said Thursday. "The relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon the settlement of the debts being confirmed by the creditors concerned."
Al Nassr's signing of Ronaldo as a free agent in January sparked an unprecedented spree of spending by clubs in the Saudi Pro League, with four now majority-owned by PIF. The fund is chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Al Nassr signed Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic this month from Inter Milan in a transfer reportedly valued at €18m ($20m).
Al Nassr are in Portugal on a preseason training camp. On Aug. 22, they have a qualifying playoff in the Asian Champions League. Al Nassr will host Shabab Al Ahli of United Arab Emirates or Jordan's Al Wehdat.
Musa left Riyadh-based Al Nassr in 2020 and played last season with Sivasspor in Turkey.
Latest Stories
-
Ghana’s economy shows recovery signs, but risks persist – S&P maintains stable outlook
13 minutes -
SWAG commemorates its 8th anniversary with a public lecture
15 minutes -
Ibrahim Mahama claims Police Commander failed to stop alleged assault
18 minutes -
Damang lease award to E&P followed due process — Minerals Commission
29 minutes -
Today’s Front pages: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
31 minutes -
Julian Opuni reaffirms Fidelity Bank support for industry-led skills training at DTI Berekuso campus
38 minutes -
CAF President arrives in Dakar to meet Senegalese President, football authorities over AFCON title saga
38 minutes -
Pastor arrested over viral threats against Vice-President
41 minutes -
2026 Success Africa Summit: MTN’s Adwoa Wiafe challenges youth to act with purpose, not just pursue titles
44 minutes -
Nurse laureate launches Cancer Care Africa Foundation to tackle late diagnosis, workforce gaps
2 hours -
Ghana to lose GH¢18.15bn in revenue by 2027 from abolishing Covid levy, E-levy – CPS study
2 hours -
Reintroduce scrapped taxes to close revenue gap – Tax expert
2 hours -
GRA applauds CPS study, urges continuous policy scrutiny
3 hours -
Wear blue or green hat to survive – IBAG president says insurance industry ‘captured by politics’
3 hours -
AGI commends government’s move to resolve the power crisis in Volta and Oti Regions
3 hours